Le Mercury in Islington

Brilliant. Great food, service and ambience. Felt very relaxed here. Doesn’t take its self too seriously. Will go again. Very good value too!

Was dying to try this place and finally got to try it on my anniversary! was not disappointed at all. Food was delicious, prices were reasonable, was well catered for and such a romantic atmosphere with the low lit lighting and candles. We truly couldn't have spent our 2 year celebration anywhere else :) thank you for the memory!

This place is brilliant. Food came very quickly, the beef bourguignon was delightful and everything went swimmingly. Staff are great. Top marks all around

Great place, friendly staff and delicious food!

Pre theatre lunch with old friends. Starters ok but mains the worst I have ever had. Fish badly skinned (Monkfish) and undercooked ,lemon sauce tasteless but very salty and far too little, veg undercooked,unseasoned and inedible. Service poor,slow and ladies toilet like 3rd world ,1950!!!. So disappointing for a previously recommended restaurant.

Le Mercury is suspended in time…. And with that it maintains its charm. I used to frequent Le Mercury around 15 years ago for affordable dates and with large groups. It’s pretty much stayed the same since then. The food is acceptable.. and they’ve managed to maintain competitive prices. There are lots of cosy spaces to enjoy a romantic meal or intimate meal with friends. The wine is also decent for the prices as well. It’s become an Islington institution and I was glad to see it’s still on the high street.

Amazing food- great Sunday roast with perfectly cooked beef- and the best service I have had in a very long time in London- thank you!

We wandered past, saw the upstairs seating and thought it looked interesting, checked the menu and decided to give it a go. We sat in the window by the door and ate like kings! Food was fabulous. I've paid five times more for food not as nice as that. Friendly staff, fun dining room with the upstairs "boxes", really mixed crowd, lively but not noisy. And honestly, lol at the review below complaining about "raw" burger. Clearly never had a burger in France.

Absolutely Fabulous Meal. Was treated by my son and his daughters for my birthday. The food is superb and very good value. A smallish menu but it shows in the quality of the food. We had mussels which were in a beautiful sauce perhaps the best mussels I have eaten, followed by, for me, the salmon and then we all had the crème brûlée which were crème brûlée not custard which so many are. Very reasonable wine list at sensible prices. If I lived nearer I would be eating there regularly

It’s just okay. Which is a shame. My girlfriend was violently ill after the moules mariniere. The beef tartare was nice but the duck breast was flavourless and chewy. The mash potato just seemed like it was reheated as it stuck to the plate like a brick. The waitress had zero charm and seemed annoyed that we changed our decision on food before she even left the table. As I said, it’s just okay.

Love the atmosphere and the service the most. Food was good, but just not to my liking. Desserts - especially the chocolate tart, was so so good.

Had a delicious lunch today, the gratin potato sublime and lamb melt in the mouth, good portions, a friendly relaxed atmosphere and cute restaurant.

We decided to eat here for old times' sake and were so happy that it had retained the same qualities that it always had. The food was good, service and atmosphere perfect, and all for a really good price. We'll be back!

Fantastic food - I recommend the duck breast which was so succulent and served with a very tasty jus. The whole experience reminded me so much of spending summers in the south of France as a child. Lovely place and great prices!

Delicious food and impeccable service. Simple but well prepared dishes. I’ll definitely go back.

Disappointed the place has gone downhill unfortunately I had been before several times and was enthusiastic to take a friend there my soup was a strange colour and texture I ate half no bread ! next cauliflower steak was insipid and warm without flavour I had it re heated took a while..although restaurant not busy. I couldn't eat the pastry on the apple tart as dry and tasteless just ate the middle. Creme Brulee ok No presentation or finesse about anything we paid and left never to return.

Fabulous service and food i love this place

An excellent place with very attentive and pleasant service, a 10 and great food

Good food. Sadly they'd run out of the Sunday roast. It was early and quiet when we had dinner.

Been here twice and the food has been incredible both times. Service is very friendly and efficient, the atmosphere is really nice and it's also probably the best value for money restaurant I've been to in London.

We had the delicious Sunday roast, a cheese selection and bottomless Prosecco. I really enjoyed it. The waiter is a diamond. I will definitely come back

I cannot rave about this place enough! Incredible food, fantastic service, lovely atmosphere, and so affordable. An absolute rare find in London and will definitely be my go-to forever. Thank you so much!

Good location, helpful staff, and delicious foods. One should experience at this restaurant.

We went for the summer lunch offer advertised on their website and instagram only to be told they weren’t running it and given a menu double the price. I don’t mind paying more but this felt like a tourist trap / scam with the false advertising. Went to another French restaurant nearby.

Been here twice, good service. Second time we came here was for a leaving do. They had set up a section for us upstairs which was lovely. There’s a good set menu for groups more than 6. Food was nice, a little bland but not bad. The baked Camembert is really good.

Had lunch here last week with lots (20ish) of my family, the staff managed us all very well and the food was consistent, even when we asked for baked camembert with french fries. Prices are very reasonable too.

Hot tap in the bathroom is scalding hot and doesn’t turn off, cold tap won’t turn on, surely not that hard to get a plumber to sort this. Food quite nice, waiters and waitress all a bit tired and grumpy.

Cosy restaurant with lovely staff and flavorful dishes!

It’s been ages since I last ate at Le Mercury. Whilst the prices have remained highly competitive, the quality of dishes unfortunately has gone down hill. Maybe I was the unlucky one but based on my experience last night, I am unlikely to be coming back soon. We ordered cooked camembert to share as a starter. It was on the smaller side but was tasty (You can’t really go wrong with this). Although we did have to re-order a side of bread as the 3 slices that came with the dish barely allowed us to cover half of the camembert. Then came the main dish which I was really looking forward to “Beef Bourguignon”. If well done, the meat simply melts in your mouth. Sadly the meat was very tough and more annoyingly cold. If I had to guess, the food had probably been cooked, then frozen and then reheated which would explain why it wasn’t particularly hot nor soft. When I called the waiter, he apologised and immediately sent the dish back to the kitchen. When it came back, every item in the dish was piping hot (probably microwaved). Such a shame😔

A 3 course set menu of really nice food (microwaved Apple cake aside) for £20 is a rare find in London, and should be applauded. However, sat in the booths upstairs, with the bits of building which had fallen off took the shine off my dining experience. The USB table lamps hadn't been charged and didn't work, so it was dingy to say the least. The service was at times, non existent. Once you start looking of course, you see it all. The dusty decor needs seeing to, and the toilets were just plain awful.

Went to eat at le mercury on a Sunday afternoon. The food was ok Service was good. For a restaurant that claims to be french it doesn't feel french.

Nice food, service and cosy atmosphere with a cool theatre decoration. Been there twice and thinking of coming back

Lovely little French restaurant full of character, friendly staff and delicious food.

I've come here many times and the quality is not constant unfortunately – the same dishes are very well prepared on some nights and sloppily made (tough meat, bland food, vegetables served almost raw, watery sauce) on others. I asked whether they have different chefs on rotation but was informed that it is always the same chef that cooks. Shame, as the food is fantastic on those good nights and the prices are very fair too! Worth trying in any case.

Very quirky French restaurant with its theatre style booths. Very reasonably priced tasty food. Good wine. Friendly service. What more do you want after an afternoon trip to Sadlers Wells. It's definitely worth the 15-minute walk. The chain restaurants may be fancier, but the food isn't always so great. Authentic French food in a relaxed atmosphere.

The price of the food was amazing at £15 per main, however it was lacking flavour. Good place to go for home cooked food but not good for vegetarians

Tiny place with lots of character - you can sit in the red booths for more privacy. The food is delicious and the staff were very kind. There is a very good deal for 2 or 3 course menu, so we could try different dishes. We went there in the afternoon so it was only us, but they do serve bigger parties so it would be better to make a reservation just in case, as the place is small.

Not as good as it once was. We have been several times in recent years and always found it be very good and value for money. Something has changed… The lobster ravioli starter wasn’t warm enough. The main of lamb was ok but very little potato gratin and wasn’t too warm, same with the beans. Parts of the upstairs have seen better days Visited the bathrooms… not nice! But the service was friendly and efficient ££

Delicious food and great service . One of my favourite French restaurants in London

Loved the decoration and vibes of the place. The food was good and the service. The table we got wasn't the best because it was near the door and it was a bit cool but for the rest everything was great. They offer vegan and vegetarian options and one vegan dessert.

I had the most delightful experience dining at Le Mercury! The ambiance was charming and cosy, the food was absolutely delicious and the staff were incredibly helpful and attentive throughout the meal. I left feeling completely satisfied and looking for my next visit! 😘

Went there for a pre-theatre meal. The starters were great but the mains were terrible. One burger was raw so it was returned. The chicken breast was tough and the mushroom pasta was tasteless. Vey disappointed.

Excellent food and pleasant staff 🙏

Rude staff. Served by Andrea and carmen. In the two hours they didn’t smile. The chicken was dry and the mushroom sauce was dry. We gave at 15 pound tip and they pretty much said that wasn’t enough and kicked up out! Even though no one checked on us. Smiled she’s issued with food. Better not to to tip

Walking down Upper Street and thought I'd ask if there was a table. Been here before but years ago and place hasn't changed. Menu of classic dishes, well made and service very pleasant and efficient. Had the duck breast - cooked to a perfect pinkness - with creamy mash and cabbage and a jus. My brother had great shoulder of lamb with potato gratin and beans. Both meals well cooked and perfect comfort food on a miserable wet night. Bottle of smooth Malbec to go with dinner. And maybe more amazing than good food and service is the incredible reasonable price. Looking forward to coming back.

We had a lovely dinner here. The staff were very nice and helpful and we loved the atmosphere. We both had steak which was cooked well and the waiter recommended a wine to complement it

Food was OK and fresh ingredients used, but lacked flavour and seasoning, kinda bland still. Had the lobster ravioli but couldn't really taste much of it. Waitresses not very welcoming, I understand it was busy, but should at least crack a smile when entering and when leaving too! The restaurant theme is very French and vintage, but the food options was more like modern European. The menu on the Fork website is different from what is offered in-house

Food was edible but lacked flavour. I had the camembert which was luke warm and barely melted. The duck was flavourless and chewy along with a bland sauce. The menu itself is not very French. I do wonder why so many people like this place from the reviews but maybe because the ingredients are fresh!?

Rude staff. Served by Andrea and carmen. In the two hours they didn’t smile. The chicken was dry and the mushroom sauce was dry. We gave at 15 pound tip and they pretty much said that wasn’t enough and kicked up out! Even though no one checked on us. Smiled she’s issued with food. Better not to to tip

Cozy with a romantic ambiance, the food and service was great. Orchids and candlelight everywhere, can't wait to go back. It will definitely be soon.

Great place in the Tiny Corner of Upper Street.

Fantastic place! Very old school, no frills, just solid home cooking. It felt like a real treat to just have a simple, inexpensive, home cooked meal in (relatively) central London! We had avocado toast, baked camembert, beef borguignon, slow cooked lamb, banoffee pie and apple cake. It was all fresh, tasty and the lamb was actually knockout. Also the side of green beans and broccoli was fresh not frozen veg, which is sadly more of a rarity these days. The place is grubby but absolutely charming :)

I think it's all relative. That's why I have given them 5 stars. It is a quaint, almost old-fashioned set-up with a menu of significant variety. After visiting a neighbouring Italian restaurant with my octogenarian Mother + a couple of others, we sat and realised we were not in the place we wanted to be, so we decided to visit the neighbouring Le Mercury. The Manager accommodated us in one of the raised booths and a lovely man waited on us, as well as Lorena (thank you Lorena). We were really contented. There are few restaurants that try to do the best they can and there's always going to be customers who might be less than satisfied. We were not among them. We will come back soon.

If you fancy small french candle dinner this is the place for you. Lovely food selection of starters, wine and mains plus great desserts. Cosy and lovely atmosphere. Last time we visited this spot was in 2018 and the quality and atmosphere remains the same. Great Gem in Angel!

What a cute find this restaurant is, walked by it by chance and the staff couldnt be more accommodating. The Beef Bourguignon was delicious, topped off with Apple Pie... I loved the fun theatre decor, a great place to sit and watch the world go by. Loved it!

I'm surprised to see a couple of recent negative reviews. I've been coming here since I lived nearby 25 years ago and my last three visits have all been excellent. It's bigger than it looks, with additional rooms upstairs, but always feels cosy and romantic. There offer a great selection of typical French dishes, properly cooked and nicely presented. The service is good, although it can be very busy at times. The prices are very reasonable and it's somewhere you should try if you're looking for lunch or dinner on Upper Street.

The atmosphere is very rustic, especially if you have special private round tables. If you're on the hunt for a new dining spot, I'd highly recommend giving this place a try! In my opinion, the food is decent and worth the price. But what sets this restaurant apart is the unique ambience - it's the perfect spot for a memorable dinner date. Just be sure to plan and make a reservation, otherwise, you may find yourself waiting outside for quite some time. 😉

Very good value for money. Highly recommend and delicious food.

Delicious food and attentive service at a fantastic price! The ambiance was lovely and quaint, and added to whole experience.

Food was so delicate and lovely and tasty

DON'T GO HERE IF YOU HAVE ALLERGIES! I normally like dining at La Mercury but something happened yesterday which is simply not good enough. For context, I have a severe nut allergy. I ordered the baked goat's cheese for my starter and nowhere on the menu did it say that it contained almonds. When it arrived it had almonds sprinkled on top so naturally I notified the waitress about my allergy, told her that there was no mention of almonds on the menu and asked if they could remake the dish for me. When they returned with the new dish, I was still cautious and double checked with the waitress that it didn't contact any almonds. She took it back to the kitchen and reassured me. I took a bite and noticed that they just scraped the almonds off of the top of the dish and there were still almonds under the goats cheese. Luckily I must have not ate any of the almonds in that first bite but this is simply not good enough. If you're going to be serving food - you need to be cautious of customer's allergies. This is a standard in the dining industry!

Food delicious, tables a bit too small

Very cute set up and a cosy vibe Love the pan fried sea trout

I am deeply troubled by the treatment my mum and I received at this restaurant.We were turned away upon arrival, with the excuse of being fully booked despite there being several empty seats. This excuse crumbled when we called again to inquire, only to be met with the revelation that they could indeed seat a party of six. The inconsistency and apparent dishonesty in their practices raise serious concerns about their integrity. I wonder if our inquiries about seating were met with discrimination, especially given the empty restaurant and the fact that we are black, my mother is disabled and I was with my baby. Such behavior is unacceptable and reflects poorly on the establishment's values. I urge others to consider whether they want to support a business that may engage in discriminatory practices.

Excellent food brilliant price. Highly recommended 👌

Firstly whilst I am giving 4 stars as average rating, I highly recommend this place for the value for money. Where do you find these days a place where the starter is less than £5, and main course under £14, and you get full and classic French and done properly? The place is a bit quirky and not the most fanciest of the place, but it definitely is a good place to eat good French. I’d say I’d preferred duck to be med rare and steak tartare to be more spicy, but otherwise the food was perfect.

I agree entirely with Sophie in Manchester. What a let down. Shame. The owners of this establishment had a fabulous reputation for running an excellent restaurant and they seem to be throwing it away recklessly.

Interesting French food. Food was good

Went with my girlfriend, really nice meal. I had the halibut, she had steak. Lovely atmosphere, quite romantic. I would definitely recommend.

Cute little restaurant with very good food and good vibe. Will be going back.

Date night. Staff were friendly and fun. Food was good. Desserts could be better, so finished off with an Irish Coffee, yum! Really nice place and good value for money.

Just not what it used to be at all. It was such a let down. Starters were cold, food was ‘heated up’ and the really random booths need to go. I’m sorry but it’s just not a vibe. The waitress was rude, the toilets were dingy and the whole place looks like it’s on it last legs. I’d avoid if you've previously been pre covid, and I’d avoid if you haven’t. Either way.

Lost some of it's past excellence

Fantastic tasty food and incredible value. Vegetables and sides included with the main are lovely.

I have been to Le Mercury many times. It’s great value for money and has an affordable menu with a good range of dishes. The atmosphere is always great. Would be perfect for a date night.

Charming. Super food. Substantial and tasty. Set menu - 2 courses under £20 each. Definitely would book again. Opposite from Almeida Theatre is so perfect pre show meal.

We stumbled upon this restaurant and I’m glad we did. Delicious food and very reasonably priced especially for London. The service was excellent too!

We came across this restaurant randomly by strolling through the city. We had a look at the menu and it all sounded really nice, so we went in. It's very cozy inside there is not much room to move around and you sit quite close to one another, but it's part of the charm for this place. The food was excellent and served timely. I had the duck breast which was perfectly cooked. Everything on the menu sounds delicious so a repeat visit is recommended! Prices are very good. The service was friendly. We both felt this is a gem of a restaurant and can highly recommend it.

One of the best traditional French restaurants in London. Super tasty food, top service and unbelievably good prices for London. Dont miss this out, could be your go to place.

It's not the same as a few years ago .. this time the manager was a bit rude to us wanting us to pay for some people that didn't show up and then when we ordered starters some people got three king prawns and some others got 4 and 5 ....it should be the same all around ...the main course meal tasted great but some of us had cold meat etc

I booked this place in November to celebrate Christmas day in December. However, a week before Christmas, I received an email saying that my booking was cancelled. I called the restaurant and a rude person said I needed to pay a deposit to secure my table. I said I would pay, but he said I should do this over the phone, which is a bit dodgy considering that I booked this restaurant via their website. So I decided to check their website and the booking confirmation email and… they didn’t say anything about a deposit. I wouldn’t pay paying a deposit if this was explicitly said since the initial booking. Now it just feels like a scam. Definitely will not recommend this place to anyone as they seem to have a poor costumer service

Lovely little spot for a very reasonably priced set menu, excellent food , good wine and a great atmoshpere with good service.

Loved it! Food was delicious and such good value.

I have been here a couple of times in the past and had found this place offered reasonably priced food. I don’t think anything stood out for me. I’m my recent outing, the food also feel a bit lacklustre. It might be partly due to the fact that my friends organised to have our Christmas meal here and we chose from the Christmas menu - which wasn’t particularly French. The crab starter was decent, but I was disappointed with the cheese plate.

I was so pleasantly surprised to see this restaurant still open around 5 years after I last visited. Not only is it still open, but the quality, service and ambience are just how I remember them — perhaps even better! There aren’t many places I can say the same about. It’s an amazing option for dinner, with so many food options and a great wine list, and exceptionally priced. Looking forward to visiting again soon!

We had a brilliant evening as a family dining at Le Mercury. The service was warm and attentive and we had some delicious food in a cosy atmosphere. Thank you for a lovely evening, we really appreciated it. :)

Good food, not too expensive considering the location

This neighborhood French restaurant is definitely deserving of your time. Candle lit and intimate, you get the impression not much has changed in 20 years. A very drinkable house red. We had the roast poussin (delish) followed by the best creme brulé I've ever had. Prices are very good too. Only thing I could fault them on is the toilets could do with a spruce up.

Jeepers, this place took me back in time. I used to frequent this joint over a decade ago, when you used to be able to smoke indoors. Thought I'd pay them a visit for old times' sake - I wasn't let down. It was heaving, a lot of ppl during the 1930hrs booking, but we were eventually seated after loitering briefly by the door. We were sat upstairs, pressure relief to the congested ground floor. What followed on was excellent service combined with great food. All in all, a wonderful experience, and a truly worthwhile trip up from South London.

Delicious and very tasty food at very reasonable prices. Service was exceptional also!

Amazing food for a reasonable price. The duck is especially perfect!

점심에 우연히 들렀다가 음식도 맛있고 서비스도 좋아서 저녁도 예약해 코스로 먹었습니다. 짧은 코스인데도 알차고 배부르게 먹었어요. 특히 콜리플라워 스테이크에 깜짝 놀랐답니다. 밑에 김치가 깔려 있는데 야채들과 조합이 정말 좋아요.. 근데 스타터도 메인도 디저트도 모두 다 맛있어서 우열을 가릴 수가 없네요. 가성비도 좋고 분위기도 예쁘고요. 점심에 왔다 간걸 기억하시고 빵도 더주시고 기분 좋은 식사였습니다. 런던 올때마다 들르려고요 ♥️

Our air BnB host recommended this restaurant. It is a gem. The food was so tasty. The service was impeccable, we could not fault it. Prices are very reasonable and the food portions very adequate. It’s fills up quickly which creates a lovely atmosphere so do as we did and get there around 7 or reserve a table so you don’t miss out. bon appétit

Had my birthday party here last night and had a really excellent time! Even though there were 25 of us, the food came out really quickly and was absolutely delicious - everyone rated it really highly. We did the party offer that was £16.80 for three courses and the portions were huge! Great atmosphere in the upstairs room and service from Vlada was brilliant - she almost single-handedly took care of us all night, was incredibly friendly and helpful, and always had a smile on her face! Such an asset to the restaurant. It's a perfect venue for a delicious meal with friends and a great place to celebrate in style - thank you for making it a top night! Will definitely be back :)

Really good value French-style food. Had a lovely 3 course lunch for the price of a main in a pub.

I hadn't been to le Mercury for years. No reason, just lockdown etc. Am pleased to say it was as good as I remember. Excellent food, still reasonable prices, and our waiter was great. Am not going to leave it another few years this time...

Disappointing beef, Chilean merlot no great. Unhappy to have tried it.

Steak wasn't 100%. For those who know how to fry a steak will probably be a little bit disappointed. Chips and raw beef rest was really good!

Excellent place! We found this little nook very spontaneously but it was such a treat. Went there with a friend and the interiors were so cozy yet stunning. We got sat right by the window and and the service was really lovely. We ordered four starters that included one with prawns, the camembert, the goats cheese and the aubergine one and they all tasted amazing. the bread they served went very well with our food and some delicious wine! all of that came to about £28. overall was a great experience! suitable for more intimate dinners rather than big groups as the restaurant is quite on the smaller side.

Had the 3-course prix fixe menu which was really lovely, and great value for money. The decor is a little unusual and dated, but the service and quality of the food make that irrelevant. Definitely recommend it.